Mark Wahlberg removes tattoos to set good example for his kids

Mark Wahlberg showed the results of tattoo removal procedures on 'David Letterman' last week. He's bringing his two oldest kids to the appointments so they can see how painful it is.

Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg has taken on a painful personal project. He’s having all of his tattoos removed.

“It’s the most excruciating thing I’ve ever experienced,” Wahlberg, who stars in the new film “Contraband,” told David Letterman last week. “It’s like someone flicking hot bacon grease on you over and over and over again.”

Wahlberg has been getting inked ever since he used a sewing needle to inscribe himself with a shamrock when he was 12-years-old. He later covered that one up with Sylvester the Cat and eventually ended up with about seven tats, including a portrait of Bob Marley and the words “One Love” on his upper left arm and a rosary wrapped around his neck with the words “In God I Trust” on his heart.

When Wahlberg was young and rebellious he thought his tattoos were cool, but now that he’s a family man with four kids he’s in the midst of treatments to have them all removed. He doesn’t want to set a “bad” example.

“…I don’t want my kids getting tattoos…” he told the “Today” show.

Wahlberg is taking his two oldest kids with him to the procedures to scare them away from ever getting inked.

What do you think about parents having tattoos? Should they have them removed?